A WOMAN who conned her own mother out of £30,000 has been handed a suspended jail term.

Janet Anne Lakhani, 60, and her husband Amyn Abdullah Hasham Lakhani, 50, were both handed 36-week prison sentences suspended for two years after swindling £30,000 of care funding from the elderly lady.

The couple of Snitterton Road, Matlock, appeared before Preston Crown Court in Lancashire on Friday on charges of fraud.

Cumbria police staged a 12-month investigation where officers found the couple had removed £29,671.83 from the 86-year-old woman’s care funds.

The couple also applied for credit cards in the pensioner’s name and had run up bills of £17,000.

The pair were arrested in March 2011 as a result of the investigation.

DC Cath Rogerson who led the case said: “This was a complex and challenging investigation that focused on funds that were provided for the care of an elderly and vulnerable woman from Barrow.

“Suspicions were raised after Cumbria County Council failed to receive sufficient returns on funds that were provided for the independent care of Mrs Lakhani’s mother.

“Our enquiries revealed that sadly, the elderly woman’s own daughter and her husband - Mr and Mrs Lakhani - had fraudulently obtained almost £30,000 from the care account.

“Further inquiries showed that they used this money to fund their own lavish lifestyles rather than investing it in the care of a relative who needed it.

“A Proceeds of Crime order was also made and the £29,671.83 will be paid back to Cumbria County Council within the next 28 days.

“Police, along with partner agencies, are dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.

“We will do everything we can to keep them safe and will pursue those who target them and bring them to justice before the courts.

“Cumbria Constabulary is also committed to tracing assets belonging to the defendants so that they can be used to pay back victims of crime.”

Janet Lakhani is the chief executive of the not-for-profit Committed 2 Equality based in Matlock and designed to help organisations “reach their equality potential” and “demonstrate their equality and diversity working practices”.

The couple were both given a two year community order and 200 hours unpaid community work along with a 36-week jail sentence suspended for two years.